Apparatus



(No Model.)

G. L. SCHNEIDER.

ELECTRIC ADVERTISING 0R SIGNALING APPARATUS. No. 520,223. Patented May 22, 1894.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LOUIS SCHNEIDER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN-EIGHTI-IS TO WM. J. PATTOSIEN, FRED L. \VAIBEL, OI-IAS. FISHER, GEORGE BRANDT, GUS. A. PAUL, FRED BRANDT, AND A. R. PAUL,

OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC ADVERTISING OR SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 520,223, dated May 22, 1894.

Application filed January 20, 1 894- Serial No. 497,545. (No model.) I

T at whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, Gnoneu LOUIS SCHNEI- DER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Electric Advertising and Signal- 1ng Apparatus; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the general class of devices for electrically producing visible signals, and it consists in a mat or frame of electric lights, a correspondingly arranged series of contacts in electrical connections with said lights, a corresponding series of push buttons adapted to make and break electrical connection with said contacts and suitable electric circuits including these parts, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which, though adapted for any kllld Of visible signaling, is especially adapted and intended for advertising purposes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 2 5 for a more complete explanation of my invent1on,=-Figure 1 is a general view of my device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

A is a mat or frame which carries anynumber of electric lights B, arranged in any suit 0 able manner.

O is a board on which are arranged the contacts'D, the latter corresponding in number and relative position to the number and position of thelights B.

E are wires electrically connecting each light with a corresponding contact.

The mat or frame A is intended to be set up in any conspicuous or required place or position, and the board C may be located at 40 any distance away and in any suitable place.

Over the board O is properly supported a metallic plate F, in which are seated the push buttons G, there being one push button for each contact and the buttons are so arranged that upon being pressed down they will come into electrical connection with the contacts D below. The buttons are held up out of contact with the contacts D, by means of springs H, and when pressed down the buttons make electrical connection with both plate and contacts simultaneously. A single circuit wire I leads to the plate F; and the lights B are properly included in the electric circuit. Now, by pressing down any one button G, the corresponding light B will be set in action, and by pressing any given number of buttons, the same given number of lights, correspondingly located will be lighted up. Thus an opportunity is afforded to make various signals in the lights, and,for advertising purposes, to make various designs, figures, characters, &c. To effect this latter, for example, I cut out of some material a given letter, say the letter R. Then by pressing this down upon the push buttons it will outline its form thereon and thus give its form to the lights B. Then another letter may be used and so on, by which means words and sentences may be spelled out, either for exhibition or signal communication, as between ships at sea.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric advertising and signaling apparatus consisting of a mat or frame of electric lights, a plate remote from the mat and provided with a series of contacts electrically connected with said lights and corresponding in number and relative position thereto, a metal plate fitted over the contacts, a series of spring-actuated push-buttons in said plate and normally out of electric connection with said contacts, and adapted to make and break connection therewith, and a single circuit wire to said plate and including the plate, button contacts and lights in its circuit.

2. An electric advertising and signaling apparatus consisting of a mat or frame of electric lights, a board with a series of contacts electrically connected with and corresponding in number and relative position to said lights, a metallic plate over said contact board, push buttons carried by said plate in numbers and position corresponding to the contacts, said buttons being provided with In witness whereof I have hereunto set my springs for holding them normally out of elechand. trical connection with said contacts and adapt- 1 ed to make and break connection with the lat- GEORGE LOUIS SCHNEIDER 5 ter, and suitable electric circuits including Witnesses:

said lights, contacts and plate, substantially S. H. NOURSE, as herein described. GEO. H. STRONG. 

